metal powder jet fusion

hi, i was thinking of a jet of metalpowder (like in sandblasting) which is fused at one point with intersecting laserbeams where they cross the jet...
idont know if its possible to produce a fine and dense enough, linear stream of metal powder, which could be hit prcisely with the laser.. and what kind of laser would be powerfull enough to melt it on spot.


/kurt

Hi Kurt,

... comercial systems blow a stream of inert gas in the spot of a strong laser (NdYAG or CO2, some 100Watts) and add metal powder to the stream, so the powder is transported and shielded by the gas.

With special shaped nozzles they manage to feed the powder through the spot, so it melts and the droplets hit the surface and fuse together ...

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Viktor
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